chapter 8 psych
fluid intelligence
aspects of innate intelligence, including reasoning abilities, memory, and speed of information processing; relatively independent of education and tends to decline with age
thinking
both localizing and distributed throughout the brain in networks of neurons
left frontal lobe
broca's area aka speech generation
artificial concept
clearly defined concept based on a set of logical rules, also known as formal concept
heuristics
cognitive strategy or rule of thumb used as a shortcut for problem solving; does not guarantee a solution but does narrow down alternatives
representativeness heuristic
cognitive strategy that involves making judgements based on how well an object or event matches an existing prototype in our minds
availability heuristic
cognitive strategy that involves making judgements based on information that is readily available in memory
preparation
define goal, outline limits
evaluation
determine if a solution solves the problem
language
form of communication using sounds and symbols combined according to specified rules
fluency
generating a large number of possible solutions
intelligence
global capacity to think rationally, act purposefully, profit from experience, and deal effective with the environment
functional fixedness
inability to think of an object functioning only in its usual or customary way; adversely affects problem solving and creativity
theories of creativity processes
incubation, convergent and divergent thinking, creative cognitions, explicit-implicit interaction, conceptual blending, honing theory, imaginative thought
iq test
one of the first ways to measure creativity
personality traits of a creative person
open to new experiences, novelty seekers, flexible, playful, independent, curious
insight
sudden appearance of a relatively complete and effective solution
grammar
system of rules used to generate acceptable language, thus enabling us to communicate with and understand others
production
test possible options using algorithms and heuristics
confirmation bias
the bias of preferring information that confirms preexisting positions or beliefs, while ignoring or discounting contradictory evidence
prototype
the example that embodies the "best" or most typical feature of a concept
Intelligence and Creativity
thought to be strongly linked positively created to a point
general intelligence
underlies all intellecutual abilyt, including reasoning and problem solving
7 primary mental abilities
verbal comprehension, word fluency, numerical fluency spatial visualization, associative memory, perceptual speed, and reasoning
animal communication
warnings, mating calls, locations of food, songbird songs, dog barks, lion growls
temporal lobe
wernicke's area aka language comprehension
measuring creativity
word associations response to writing prompts unusual used for mundane items
crystalized intelligence
knowledge and skills gained through experience and education, and the ability to access that knowledge; intelligence that tends to increase over the life span
creativity is a function of...
knowledge, imagination, evaluation
brain regions for language
left frontal lobe, temporal lobe, amygdala
algorithms
logical, step by step procedure that will always solve the problem eventually
cognition
mental activities involved in acquiring, storing, retrieving, and using knowledge
concept
mental representation of a group or category
mental image
mental representation of a previously stored sensory experience, including visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile, motor, or gustatory imagery
barriers to problem solving
mental set, functional fixedness, confirmation bias, improper use of heuristics
incubation period
mentally set the problem aside for a while until the solution comes without conscious thought
ludwig van beethoven
musically creative genius influenced by mozart, hayden, bach, handel
torrance tests of creative thinking
fluency, originality, and elaboration
mental set
a problem-solving strategy that has worked in the past, which we continue to use rather than trying new strategies
creativity
ability to produce original, appropriate, and valued outcomes in a novel manner
amygdala
emotionally charged words, like swear words
three characteristics
originality, fluency, flexibility
building blocks of language
phonemes, morphemes, grammar
5 stages of creativity process
preparation, incubation, intimation, illumination, verification
steps to solving problems
preparation, production, evaluation
concepts developed through building blocks
prototype, artificial concepts, hierarchies
originality
seeing unique or different solutions to a problem
flexibility
shifting with ease from one type of problem-solving strategy to another
phonemes
smallest distinctive sound unit that makes up every language
morphemes
smallest meaningful units of language; created by combining phonemes
hierarchies
subcategories within broader concepts
